Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-10-22
CRATSWORIH DUPLICATED.
The Horror On TIE Chicago and Atlantic
Railroad
Further Particulars of the Disaster at
Kouts.

CHICAGO, OCT. u.-An accioent occurred on
me Chicago and Atlantic railroad last night
near kouts, Indiana, In which 1t was reported
that some II .tcen people were killed A fast
freight train ran into the rear end Of a pas
senger train telescoping two IRE. 1t Is not
yet known In what direction the passenger
train was going. Al the general Office OF the
Chicago ond Atlantic railway here no inior-
nation on the subject can be obtained. Re-
ports received here are To the effect that
twenty-five people were killed and a large
lumber Of Others Injured in the wreck on the
Chicago and Atlantic. The catastrophe oc
Cured at Kouts, a small station fifty miles
from Chicago. 1t is inferred that the fated
train was the passenger and express from the
east, due In Chicago this morning. This
morning a relief expedition was Quickly and
secretly organized by the railroad officials
here and dispatched to the scene. Other help
was to be hurried forward as soon as possible.
Two passenger trains arrive in Chicago early
In the morning from the east, and 1t is not
known which was involved, the officials Of
the company refusing the slightest scrap OF
Information. As dearly as can be judged, the
horror occurred between 5 and 9 O'Clock.
TIT BODIES RECOVERED.
A telegram received here at II :35 said that
ten bodies had already been taken from the
wreck and the men conducting the CHASTITY
work were unable TO say how many other
corpses were still In the debris. In addition
70 the killed, the telegram saysa list has been
prepared showing the Injured To number at
least twenty-one persons.
A special to the News from Hammt -,
lad, says: The passenger train east-boLnd
on the Chicago and Atlantic railway, lea wing
Hammond at Sis last night, broke dow
near Kouts Station. The engine started
ahead, leaving the train, and stopped for
water at State ditch. The engine got on the
ceuter and could not 60 back 10 the train.
A stock train following, running on special
time, crashed into the sleeper, telescoping the
sleeper and four coaches. So far fourteen
bodies have been taken from the wreck, a
doctor from Huntington, Ind, being the only
passenger identified. The rest are burned be-
yond~ recognition. twenty-five or thirty are
wounded. The engineer and fireman on the
stock train were wounded, and are not ex-
pected TO live.
HOW 1T HAPPENED.
A special TO the Evening journal from
North Judson, Indiana, says; Another Chats
worth railroad horror occurred on the Chicago
aud Atlantic railroad this morning, sixty
miles east of Chicago, near kouts station.
seventeen passengers were killed and burned
1p in the wrecs ana from twenty-five to
thirty were more or less Injured. A heavy
fresh meat train teIescoped the evening &C.
commodation train, the New York ex press,
which leaves Chicago Of 40 p. m. The &C.
commodation with one baggage car, two
coaches and one sleeper, had stopped at a
water tank for water, about one mile west OF
Kouts. and the freight train following crashed
into the sleeper, telescoping and burning up
the entire passenger train as above stated.
William Perry, auditor Of this stark county,
and his wife and Child were victims OF the
terrible fire which broke out almost imme-
diately after the freight train crashed in
among the passengers. Not a particle Of their
bodies were rescued from the flames.
The entire responsibility appears to res. on
the engineer OF the freight train. AT this
writing the names Of the killed and wounded
cannot be asc artained.
w. a. Duncan, Of Syracuse, N. Y, arrived
from the scene CT the accident. He saw the
wreck, and eighteen or twenty is the number
he places Of those known 20 Lave been killed.
A number of these were
BURNED BEFORE HIS EYES.
A little Bohemian boy was hemmed "A but
was not reached By the fire, aasa saw bis
mother, father and two sister slowly roast
ing before bis eyes. He wss dying rs Duncan
left. There was a doctor on the train, Duncan
says, who lost BIZ Slfe and daughter In the
burning wrecf- tie could do absolutely moth
ing for thrGa and saw them encii cled by The
flames and cremated. The train was not
tai.en over the track en- which the wreck
occurred but was switched around, the re-
mains OF the train being too hot
TO move. The hight was dark and
the scene was dreadful. The rear
coaches OF The passenger train were telescoped
SO that three occupied less space than Que.
Live coals from the freight train ignited the
debris under which the wounded and dying
were. some were mercifully killed by the
first shock but many were slowly roasted to
death, and before substantial assistance could
be rendered, some
THIRTY PEOPLE A DIED.
No one In the Pullman sleeper was hurt. The
conductor telegraphed to his company that
all escaped before the fire reached the car and
none were injured In the collision. Nc means
existed for checking the fire, and only after it
had burned out was 1t possible to do anything
for the few still alive and imprisoned In the
Debris. Forty people were wounded or
burned, or both. All were on the train when
1t left Chicago, but 10 names were known mp
to 2 80 this afternoon.